Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 226 to 250 of 1185 results

226. Love And Money

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

William G. Carter

... two little girls. They lived in a nice house with a garden. Yet the family felt an anxiety: there was never enough money. Both mother and father had small incomes, but they didn't have enough to reach the social position they desired. The father pursued business leads that never materialized. The mother tried to earn more money, but her failures etched deep lines into her face. In time, their home became haunted with the unspoken phrase, "There must be more money." No one ever said it aloud, least of all ...

227. It's OK To Stir Up God

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Richard Patt

... of things in life when a promise -- and dare we say, sometimes a reward -- is connected to them! Children are typically motivated about carrying out a request when some reward is promised. But we are all that way! With the right promise behind it, we will pursue even a disagreeable prospect. The attractive promise that Jesus announces here is that as we pray we ought to take into consideration that God is on our side. That's an encouraging truth, isn't it? God is on our side! Let's look at the concluding ...

228. A New Kingdom Coming

Luke 9:57-62

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... the church has problems raising a budget or launching a program. He may press the question, "If you're not on my side, just whose side are you on?" We may want to say, "Let me go tend my field, bury my father, seek my pleasure, pursue my happiness, build my nest egg," but he says, "Follow me." In the medieval period parts of Europe often were characterized by feudal fiefdoms and provincial territories of crown princes. But to create a unified state, feudal lords and crown princes were persuaded or forced to ...

229. Extreme Measures

1 Kings 21:1-29

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

... ensued and all parties could possibly have come to an amicable agreement. In this life some people are too quick to kill in not having their way. Why must murder be the first resort when all other avenues of persuasion have not been pursued and exhausted? The third extreme measure was that after being falsely accused and murdered, Naboth's land was quickly confiscated. After he was murdered, they took his land. They violated his inheritance, took his life, and confiscated his land. They might have entered ...

230. Proper 24

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:1-176

Bulletin Aid

William E. Keeney

... away. It may take years before the results of such abuse happen. If in the meantime I find the grace to cease smoking, I may delay the consequences and have a longer life, or even prevent the lung cancer from happening altogether. If I am greedy and pursue money at the expense of family, friends, and others, I may not be completely alienated from them. I may be able to repent and even use the wealth gained to gain true friendship. If the consequences of our collective evil in society were not delayed by God ...

231. Bowing Before The Mystery

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

... to the farthest reaches of the solar system, penetrating the mystery of Pluto's atmosphere and Uranus' tiniest moons, but we have not learned how to love each other more. We will soon begin the construction of a work station in space, and we continue to pursue the deployment of a giant star wars shield, but we will not have learned how people with different and competing ideologies can live together peacefully on this very tiny planet of ours. We will probably soon find a cure for AIDS, but we will not have ...

232. A Mother's Love -- A Godly Passion

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Glenn E. Ludwig

... a mother, Jesus' love is so great that his all-consuming passion is to sweep us up into his protective arms. And although there are others in pursuit of him, namely Herod, Jesus, like a mother is persistent. He sticks to what his love compels him to do. He pursues his flock with a passion. His answer to Herod shows that: He has a little work to do in Galilee yet, a few chicks to sweep beneath his wings; and then, he is headed to Jerusalem, where he will, in essence, fly off from his chicks alone and draw ...

233. How to Affair-Proof Your Marriage!

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... a slow leak. We get into marriage with such high expectations. We're in love, choosing to act in one another's best interests. "Forsaking all others I will keep myself only unto you so long as we both shall live." Early marriage is exciting, and we pursue it with verve! Then there is a fight, some disappointment, and resentment settles in. A slow leak. As the poet has written, " 'Twas not love's going hurt my days, but that it went in little ways." The snap is gone. Sex becomes routine. She can't remember ...

234. Baptism And Self-Esteem

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... Then it is easy to cut someone else down to size with slander and gossip. When we are insecure about ourselves, that is when we need to grab all the power and success that we can. When we are unsure about ourselves, then is when we recklessly pursue one pleasure after another regardless of the consequences. We think that this is the only way to feel good about ourselves. Often the braggart and egotist is actually acting to overcome his sense of self-doubt. Maybe if he boasts enough, not only will others but ...

235. Failure Is Not Final

Hosea 2:2-23

Sermon

William L. Self

... -- or, as my family would say, normal people. The story told in Hosea is one of great personal pain and suffering and brokenheartedness on the part of this prophet of God. His beloved wife Gomer leaves his home and hearth for a life of infidelity. She pursues other lovers but soon presents a picture of frustration and despair as she is disposed of by her uncommitted lovers. However, though she chose to leave Hosea's home, he never let her out of his heart. He yearned for her and passionately sought to find ...

236. Forsaking All Others

Joel 2:1-11

Sermon

Paul W. Kummer

... cabinets or underneath the mattress and not be ashamed? Could he sit next to you as you watch television or surf the Web without being embarrassed? Sin is anything Jesus wouldn't do. And leaders of the church, are we "above reproach," fleeing from sin and "pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness" (1 Timothy 6:11)? It's not the other person who needs to look at God's mirror and see sin, but you! Why is the call so urgent? Because everyone is looking at us as this century ...

237. Our Jealous Husband

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Paul W. Kummer

... pulled from the floor behind her seat a man who was hiding there. The lady was fleeing from the wrong person. She was running from the one who could save her. The truck driver, seated high enough to see her back seat, had spied the would-be rapist and was pursuing her to save her, even at his own peril. During this Lenten Season, when we can get overwhelmed with our sinful condition, let's not forget to run to the One who saves us from the other gods in our lives. They cannot help us; they only want to ...

238. The Fruitful Vine

John 15:1-17, 1 John 4:7-21, Acts 8:26-40, Psalm 22:1-31

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... is known for his piety and the holiness movement that arose from his life. The name Methodist comes from a club which his brother Charles started at Oxford and which John joined. It was a life of methodical prayer and scripture study. John pursued such contemplation throughout his life. Again, he was amazingly productive and active. He preached two to four times every day, preaching more than 40,000 sermons in his lifetime. He traveled 4500 miles per year carrying his message throughout the country, most of ...

239. People With A Mission

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Gerald Whetstone

... our eyes, what we have touched with our hands...so that you may have fellowship with us...so that our joy may be complete." This is their mission as they are now witnesses, "my witnesses," Jesus says, "to the ends of the earth." What mission are we pursuing? What do we guard as dearly as my dinner guest with his briefcase? As pathetic as he may appear, there are many today whose purpose in life is not much more fulfilling, or meaningful, or faithful. What real, ultimate difference does it make to spend so ...

240. You Can Be Intelligent

2 Chronicles 1:1-17

Sermon

Michael B. Brown

... has proven inestimably valuable. Daily we are confronted with dilemmas to resolve. Daily for us, in Frost's words, "two roads converge in a yellow wood" and we stand wondering which avenue to follow. "Should I accept this job or look for another?" "Should I pursue this romance or end it?" "Should I practice tough love or be gentle and nurturing with my child in this situation?" "Should I take this risk? What would it cost? Who could it hurt?" "Should I retaliate?" "Should I give this person yet another ...

241. Week Two Of Lent

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... compassion on us; God will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins. God will always show faithfulness to his people. God will not give up on any human being. When we know that God's mercy is ours, that God will continually pursue us, as Francis Thompson describes so powerfully in his famous poem "The Hound of Heaven," then we know the journey of reconciliation has begun. The journey of reconciliation continues with the discovery of the three active aspects of forgiveness, within self, with others, and ...

242. Why A Cross?

John 19:17-27

Sermon

Robert Beringer

... life of righteousness, peace and justice. The writer of the 139th Psalm asks, "Whither shall I flee from thy presence?" Even the Psalmist caught the wonder of a God who not only holds the stars in their courses, but who loves us like a shepherd, and pursues us like a shepherd seeking a lost lamb. What God did at Calvary, God has always been doing. In cosmic terms, the cross demonstrates how it is only the one who has been wronged and hurt who can reach across the brokenness, and make possible reconciliation ...

243. Life's Loose Threads and The Tie That Binds

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... the only thing more elusive in this scripture lesson is the reason why Moses is not permitted to finish this journey. It just doesn't seem fair, does it, that so great a prophet is able to look, and yet not live, upon the very place he has pursued for so many years? And frankly, what is even harder to accept is the almost teasing manner in which Yahweh dangles it out in front of him. I mean, allowing Moses to approach the Promised Land without ever actually arriving in it appears to serve no other purpose ...

244. A Long Obedience In The Same Direction

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

Mark Radecke

... , Jesus was tempted to abandon his long obedience in the same direction. He resisted that diabolical temptation, and in his preaching, teaching, healing, reconciling, restoring, liberating ministry, Jesus continued that long obedience in the same direction. On the cross of Calvary, he pursued it to its inevitable end. This Jesus God raised from the dead. His long and perfect obedience in the same direction is the salvation of us all, through no merit of our own. Indeed, in spite of our miserable record, in ...

245. Wicked Tenants

Matthew 21:33-46

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... that breaks an idol and becomes a mountain to fill the whole earth. Malachi 2:7-8 False priests by their instruction cause persons to stumble. Matthew 23:2-3 The scribes and Pharisees do not practice what they teach. Matthew 23:34 Prophets sent are killed, flogged and pursued. John 15:1-7 The image of the true vine and the vine growing. Acts 4:11 Another use of the stone that was rejected. Romans 9:32-33 Paul refers to the stone over which people stumble. Hebrews 11:36-38 Mention of the prophets who were ...

246. When God Is The Problem

Psalm 13:1-6

Sermon

Robert G. McCreight

... re called that is because they hold a definite set of presuppositions about life and about God which consistently come through. Two of those fundamental presuppositions are key: Happiness in life is directly correlated with living in harmony with God's Will; and second, pursuing Wisdom is the way to learn about God's Will. The "good" person, these psalmists presumed, would naturally and diligently seek to know and live by the will of the Lord. Today and next Sunday we are looking at another large section of ...

247. Adam And Jesus See Temptation

Genesis 3:1-24, Genesis 2:4-25, Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

David Belgum

... RSV). The test in this third instance is one of ultimate loyalty. Whom do you worship? What has the highest priority in your life? Once it was clear where Jesus stood concerning worship, the Tempter just gave up and left him alone. There is no point in pursuing the testing any further. Once a person is clear on worship of God, it is almost predictable what that person will say or how he or she will react to a number of other specific questions. So what view should we take about temptation and testing? All ...

248. Second Sight

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

David Belgum

... be our fate to be thus transformed or to see some helpful vision. On the other hand, we should not be surprised if a vision should suddenly confront us. Some brilliant scientists have made their great breakthrough discoveries quite by accident. While pursuing one question, suddenly an answer to a much different question emerges as if from nowhere. We should also remember that Peter, James, and John were ordinary fishermen by background and trade. They were not noblemen, great generals, high up in government ...

249. Sermons

Sermon

John R. Bodo

... " is always for sale. The mind of a man or woman who insists on being an individual, in all the awful loneliness of individuality, is not for sale at all. This is the person Jesus wants the most: the scholar or scientist who will pursue truth wherever it may lead; the citizen of the world who accepts all human beings as sisters and brothers in utter disregard of national, racial, or class labels; the true "humanist" whose curiosity and compassion encompass everything human, but who also hungers and thirsts ...

250. Jesus, The Servant

John 13:1-17

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

... do not sleep, can tell you this," he whispered. And then the immortal words: "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." Failure to love is to live a lie, to be out of harmony with our true self, pursuing the wrong goals for the wrong reasons and caring more about other people's opinions than serving God. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples out of the harmony of his true self. Out of that harmony we serve: raising and teaching children, cooking meals, tending ...

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